Child's Play
by LilyGhost
Summary: This is what I think Matthew and Olivia, the two babies from my stories 'Baby Steps' and 'The Call', do when Ranger and Stephanie think their kids are only sleeping.
1. Chapter 1

**Look, Margaret, I figured out how I could put Matty and Olivia in the same story! I also added Einstein from 'Dog Days' to keep an eye on them. Janet still owns Ranger and Stephanie. These two, the dog, and any mistakes, are mine.**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Matty's POV**

"We're not really supposed to be in the same story," my sister told me.

"Why not? We do share a set of parents."

"Yeah, but we blessed them with our presences at different times in their lives."

"But this is _our_ dream ... so we can play together in it if we want to. Mom and Dad can tell us what to do and who we can be around any other time, but not when we're both asleep. Us 'oops' babies have to stick together," I said to Olive.

" _Matty_ ," she said in exasperation, "you _know_ they don't like us being called that."

"I know, but it _is_ the truth. Neither of us were planned."

"But we're loved ... and that's all that matters."

My sister may be younger than me, but she's obviously smart for her age. Our parents have never made us feel like they had to sacrifice their lives for ours. They did the opposite. They made us feel as if theirs became so much better because we came into them.

" _Woof!_ "

We both jumped and then turned around at the exact same time to see that a big, all black German Shepherd had crept up silently behind us while we'd been talking.

"He yours?" I asked.

Olivia shook the curls that remind me so much of Mom's. My hair is thick and dark like theirs, but as straight as our dad's. I'm secretly glad. Curly hair seems like a lot of work. I have better things to do than untangle it from stuff all the time.

"I've never seen this dog before," she said.

She bent at the waist to read the tag on the all black collar around the dog's neck, which made her purple-flowered dress move back and forth against her legs like she's the clapper inside a bell. She _could_ just wear comfy pj's like I do, but _noooo_... my sister has to show up like she's been invited to a garden party. On her feet were teeny white ballet slipper-style shoes with a satin flower perched on the toe of each one, despite me telling her last time that we'd be playing _outside_.

"His name's Einstein," she told me. "Mommy's listed as the owner."

I sighed. "Figures."

Her big, brown eyes locked onto my blue ones, and her eyebrows went up just like Mom's do when she's not sure about something.

"What do you mean by 'figures', Matty?"

"Think about it. Mom and Dad must know we've been meeting like this every night since you were born, and told him to come keep an eye on us."

"How can they know?"

I shrugged. "Mom says Dad _knows everything_ and can _do_ _anything_... and I believe her."

"Daddy is pretty great," she said on an adoring sigh.

Guess that explains her having the middle name 'Adora'. I'm just glad our parents gave me a normal one.

I couldn't stop the familiar response to the obvious devotion she has towards our father. "Daddy's girl," I teased.

Though I knew it was coming, I still smiled when she immediately shot back. " _Mama's boy_."

"But you're a Mama's girl, too."

"Yep, I am. Mommy loves the heck out of me. She says so everyday."

I waited, but when she didn't say anything else, I nudged her ... gently of course in case our parents somehow got wind of it. Einstein moved in closer, like he might have to intervene. I grinned, making the dimples in my cheeks flash briefly as I thought of how unnecessary that would be. I love my little sister to death, even when she's being a huge pain in the butt like she is right now.

" _And?_ " I said, prodding her.

"Jeez. I thought _I_ was the baby of the family. Fine ... you know Daddy would do anything for his only son."

I nodded in agreement. I do know that, but I also like hearing it.

"What should we do this time?" Olive asked me, wrapping her tiny arms around the dog's neck like she's known him her whole life.

Olivia's technically only a few months old, so her knowing something/someone for all of her life, doesn't mean the same thing as it does when grown-ups say it. Einstein does feel familiar, though this is the first time he's appeared here with us. I bet that means he's another member of our little family.

I'm just about to turn one myself, yet I've always felt much older than I actually am. Mom says I take after Dad in looks, temperament, and smarts, but I know things. And I'm a lot like she was as a kid. There's nothing wrong with her wanting to take over a galaxy instead of staying on earth baking cookies for some guy who won't even notice she went through the trouble for him. That's how our Grandpa Plum acts sometimes, and I love Dad even more for not being at all like that. Mom, Olivia, and I are all our dad sees when we're around him.

She let go of Einstein and _I_ got poked in the ribs this time. Olive wasn't nearly as gentle as I was about it, either.

"You don't have to worry about Mommy. She's beyond happy now," she said. "She has her own version of Prince Charming ... and she got Daddy _her way_ , too."

I choked back a disgusted groan at the fairy tale stuff she never fails to add to any conversation we have involving our parents. Sure, it's obvious, _really obvious_ , that they love each other, but we don't have to talk about knights in shining armor, Princes, or happily ever afters, _every single time_. Having to witness how touchy-feely Mom and Dad are is enough for me. I checked on them just before I 'left' to come see my sister. Even in sleep, Dad's body was curled protectively around Mom's. He also had an arm lying across her waist to keep her from going anywhere.

"I think Dad would be just as grossed out by that comparison as I am," I told my little sister.

One of her dark eyebrows lifted. I half expected Dad's deep voice to come out of her mouth. It didn't. When she spoke, her voice was cute, girly, and amused, just like it always is. Mom says I'm ... _'so handsome, I should be illegal in all 50 states ... plus Canada and Mexico',_ but Olivia is absolutely beautiful. She's like a walking, talking, mischievous yet still perfect, little doll. I'm going to have to figure out how I can protect her outside of our shared dreams, because our MerryUncles will need reinforcements to keep all the _horndogs_ , as Uncle Lester calls them, far away from her.

"You wouldn't call Mommy a princess even when she's all dressed up to go someplace fancy with Daddy?" She asked, planting a small hand on her hip as she waited for my answer.

That single eyebrow was daring me to find something in her question to argue with.

"That's different," I said.

That was the only answer I could come up with. Mom is a stunner ... from her looks, to her personality, to what she does for a job, just like all fairy tale princesses _should_ be. If you ask any of our RangeUncles, though, they'd say she's more of the Queen-type, calling the shots even outside the Rangeman building. Great, now Olivia's got me thinking stupid storybook thoughts, too.

"No, it's _not_ different," she said in a superior tone.

But I smiled in victory, since her response wasn't any better than mine.

"Let's just say we're pretty lucky to have parents like ours," I told her.

"Agreed."

" _'Ruff'_ ," Einstein added in one clear, no-nonsense bark.

"I guess our play group has grown by one," she said, giving him a kiss between the eyes that have been pretty much glued to us. "I wonder when Mommy and Daddy got a dog?"

I don't know when they did, but I'd say he's a recent addition or he would've joined us a long time ago.

"We've only got Rex," I told her.

"Us, too. He's really cute, but hamsters don't seem to do much except eat, sleep, and run around in circles on a wheel."

Yep, she's Dad's daughter alright. And I swear "Einstein ... aka _Steiny_ " - which is actually what his dog tag said when I decided to check it myself - gave us a 'tell me about it' look when Olivia mentioned Rex's limitations.

"I thought Mom could see and hear everything," I said to her, "but this dog may be even worse."

"We're not doing anything wrong. We're all family, so we should get to see each other any time we want to. Mommy even lets Grandma Plum visit us, and I know sometimes she's questioned whether or not she should because she's not like our Abuelita."

"Do you think one day we'll be able to reach Julie and convince her to come play with us, too?" I asked.

"I don't know. She's much older and might not want to."

"How can she not? We're cool to hang out with. GodUncle Tank says that all the time."

"And GodUncle Tank is always right," she finished. "That's what _he_ thinks, anyway."

"Dad would disagree, but not when he's saying nice stuff about us. Now come on ... last one to the swings has to push the other."

"I'm _a baby_ ," she said, trying to play the infant card again. "I can't walk yet."

"Yeah, just like you couldn't climb up and then go down the slide last time we met at my playground? Did you forget that I only started walking recently? And neither of us should be able to form full sentences, or read, or run around, but we've been walking, talking, and reading each other stuff all along, haven't we?"

" _Shit_."

That made me laugh so hard, she quickly joined in. It feels good that I can make my sister happy so easily. It's almost like how Dad makes Mom smile even when it seems like he's not doing anything but looking at her.

"You sound just like Mom when you say 'shit' like that," I told Olive.

"I know. And thank you. Daddy is my hero, but Mommy is who I want to be when I grow up."

Having Stephanie Plum and Carlos "Ranger" Manoso as parents is challenging at times. They have eyes and ears _everywhere_ , and their noses in everything concerning us, but we love them as much as they have always loved us.

We took off towards the playground our 'uncles' built, and Einstein was running right beside us as we raced hand in hand to the swings. Just like we do every time we meet here, we fought over who got the 'special' swing. There was one time Olivia showed up with a little bow barrette in her hair, and we used the edge of it to carve both of our initials in that swing's seat ... small enough so only the two of us could see them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for the reviews, support, and continuation encouragement I got for this story. I decided to take MarshaMac1215's review suggestion and write a Julie chapter and then add one that includes Stephanie and Ranger. Anything familiar is Janet's.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Julie's POV**

I woke up with six eyes staring at me. The two babies and the all black dog they belonged to are really cute, but I have a test in the morning and I really need sleep so I can ace it. Mom and Dad said if I get a minimum of five As in a row, I'll be the one to decide where I'm spending part of my summer vacation. And I really want to go to Trenton and see my dad and Stephanie. They already told me I can visit any time I get permission to.

" _Matty? Olive?_ What are you two doing here?" I asked, when they made no move to ... well _move._

I tried to appear less groggy than I'm feeling, but I can tell I still look half-asleep.

My little brother answered, which surprised me because _Juuu-Juuu_ is the most recognizable thing I've heard him say to date.

"We've been trying and trying to leave home so we could play with you. It finally worked!"

I rubbed my face vigorously with both hands. I must've been studying harder than I thought to be having this kind of dream.

"How can you both be here? Wait ... how are you talking to me?" I looked at my baby sister. "Can you talk, too?"

Matty gave me and Olivia a look that I interpreted as _'why do girls ask so many questions?_ '

"Yep," Olive said, "I can talk."

"Way too much at times," he told me.

"Do not."

"Do, too,"

To stop a do not/do too standoff, I scratched the German Shepherd's head and got my brother and sister looking back at me. The Shepherd's breath is making the air around my bed feel hotter and more humid, but it didn't smell bad so I didn't mind it when he licked my other hand.

"Who's the dog?" I asked.

" _Steiny_ ," Olive told me. "We think Mommy and Daddy just got him. He popped up once in our yard and has been with us ever since."

" _Popped up?_ " I asked them. "Like you guys are doing now?"

"Yeah," my little brother said.

It's weird to hear a childlike version of our dad's voice coming out of a baby.

"I've been able to 'visit' Olivia ever since Mom had her, but even with the two of us together, it took us a while to get all the way to Miami."

"Is this a dream?" I asked him, which is also odd.

I'm older and I really should know more than two babies, but in this case I'm feeling a little clueless.

"Sorta," he said. "When our parents check on us, we look like we're asleep, but we're really here. This is the only way we can all be together ... unless Dad really does have superpowers like Mom says he does to make it happen when we're all awake."

I tucked my tangled hair back behind my ears to get it out of my way and studied my siblings. I'm not sure I believe what Matthew's saying about 'dream travel', but I like the concept. I can't see them as often as I'd like because we live in different parts of the country, so I really don't care how it happens as long as it can.

They scooted up closer to me and I gave them each a bear hug. They do feel warm and surprisingly solid. There's nothing ghostlike about either of them. If this _isn't_ really happening right now, then this is an incredible replica of a real life visit. I even hugged Steiny while thinking our dad has something to do with him being here. Even during sleep, he'd make sure his family is protected and his kids supervised.

"If you guys came all the way to Florida from New Jersey, and can walk and talk when you can't normally, does that mean the four of us can go anywhere?" I asked Matthew.

"We can't go past a certain point. I think that's why it's taken so long to get here to see you. Probably the only reason we could is because you're our sister so we have a connection to Miami."

I thought about that for a minute. It does make sense in a Syfy channel kind of way.

"Now that we _are_ here ... I wanna see the ocean," Olive chimed in.

She's so little - physically and age-wise - she didn't do more than smile at me when I'd gone to Trenton to meet her. It's strange to hear and see her speak and act like an actual person when she still looks like a 'typical' baby. I knew the first time I saw each of them that there would be _nothing_ typical about them.

"There's a beach not too far from here," I said. "We should be able to make it there."

Olivia's smile, though lacking teeth, sent a warm feeling all the way through me. I wish I could keep her smiling like that indefinitely. She and Matty aren't my _half_ -siblings, they're my brother and sister _period_. Just like Ranger and Stephanie have become a second dad and mom to me. I've never once thought of them as just my _biological father_ and _his wife._

Olive had crawled up onto my pillow and started tapping my cheeks with two chubby little hands to get my full attention again. "You don't have to get changed, you can play in your pj's just like Matty does."

I glanced at her and then Matthew. His little baby feet are bare and he's wearing navy blue and white striped pajamas. Across the shirt part of them were the words " _Life Is Good_ ". I agree with his pj top, life for all of us has been pretty good lately. While Olivia looked comfortable enough, she was completely dressed ... _literally_ , in a turquoise and pink tropical print sundress with only tied bows for straps, paired with white sandals that look small enough to fit a doll.

I wonder who picks out their clothes and gets them dressed for these trips or if they can do everything themselves, but I don't want to annoy Matty with more questions. Our time is clearly limited, and I don't want to waste any of it.

I climbed out of bed and turned to help them off it, but the three of them are quick and were already on their way out my bedroom door. I debated 'waking' my sisters up to see if this would work with them, too, but I decided against it. I do see them everyday and I don't really want to share Matty and Olive with anyone right now.

I felt like all I did was blink and we were suddenly standing ankle-deep in the ocean. Olivia's sandals were lying haphazardly on the sand behind us, and Einstein is currently tugging on the skirt of her dress to keep her from wading out any further. A full moon lit up the beach and made the waves seem like they're glowing. Even though I'd guess morning is only about an hour or two away, it's still dark out, but we can still see everything around us.

The night and the beach itself were eerily quiet. The silence was only broken up by the sound of Olivia laughing, Einstein barking in response to her, and the small waves rolling onto the shore. None of us were scared to be alone out here alone, though.

" _Oooohh_ ..." Olivia said, pointing a tiny finger towards the sky, ''how pretty. A rainbow!"

Mine and Matty's eyes followed her finger. It's kinda a rainbow, but not really.

"That's a _moon_ bow," I told my brother and sister. "There also called 'lunar rainbows' or 'white rainbows'. We learned about them in science class. Instead of rain and the sun creating a multi-colored arc, light from the moon's surface gets reflected off clouds in the atmosphere which makes a paler, whiter version of a normal rainbow ... a _moonbow_."

Olive grinned at me. "You're just like Daddy ... you know _everything_."

"Thanks for saying so, but he knows a hundred times more than I ever will."

A small hand slipped into mine and I looked down into my baby brother's blue eyes. He's the perfect mix of my dad and Stephanie. So far he's been serious, yet funny ... completely charming while still being protective of our baby sister. I fell immediately in love with him as soon as Stephanie sent me a picture from the hospital of a baby boy with big blue eyes and a full head of dark hair. I promised then to do anything I can for him, and I'd do even more for him now.

Same with Olivia. If tonight's any indication, she's going to be a handful, but I wouldn't want her to be any other way. She and Matty are fun, adorable, and the sweetest babies anyone could hope for. I didn't think it was possible to love them more than I already do ... until tonight. I wouldn't mind more 'visits' like this one, at least one every night would be fine with me.

"Thank you for coming here with us," Matthew told me, sounding so much like 'Ranger' had before the intimidating _Ranger Manoso_ became just _my dad_.

I gave Matty the same answer I gave our father the day that changed our father/daughter relationship from _just polite_ to _incredibly necessary_ for both of us.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world," I repeated, completely meaning it both times I've said it.

He smiled happily up at me until Olive splashed us both with the slightly cool ocean water. While our brother and I were talking, she had been pulled safely to shore by Steiny. I didn't think dogs could form facial expressions, but their black German Shepherd actually looked like he was relieved to have her back on land.

"Steiny said you guys should do less talking and more playing with us," she said, crossing her arms in front of her in an impatient yet adorable way.

I laughed, letting a little of the happiness I'm feeling slip out. When Matty headed back to her, I sent a stream of the Atlantic their way. While still sticking close to the kids, Einstein suddenly jumped straight up to catch the water in his mouth. That caused my little siblings to start giggling and then land on their diapered-butts on the beach. I took a couple steps until I was just about out of the water and then slid baseball-style onto the wet sand between them.

Both baby bodies leaned back and used my sides for pillows while Einstein circled us and doled out dog-kisses whenever he passed our faces. It'll be okay if this turns out to be just a vivid dream, but at the moment I'm nowhere near ready for it to be over.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ranger and Stephanie still belong to Janet, everybody else and the mistakes are mine.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Ranger's POV**

"Babe, wake up."

"Huh?" She said, turning over onto her left side.

The kicked-off covers gave me a nice view of her legs as the shirt she was wearing rode up a little. It's four-twenty in the morning and there's already a slight brightness in the eastern part of the sky, which means this is the perfect time for this particular surprise.

"I want to show you something," I continued, when she didn't move beyond her initial rollover.

"You showed me _that_ last night," she mumbled, but I could hear the satisfied sound of her voice. "Give me another hour of sleep and you can show me all over again."

"That isn't what I meant, but I will take you up on that offer later. And we're both technically still asleep ... look, it'll take too long to explain. Do you trust me?"

Her answer was immediate. "Always."

I took her wrist and gently dragged her out of our bed. She paused before I could get her any further than the foot of it.

"What about Matty?" She asked.

I pointed towards the bed so she'd see that our bodies are still entwined. My arm is beneath her pillow and the other I'd slung across her hips to settle her back down after she had moved as though she sensed something going on around her.

"We're actually standing here as well as sleeping, and we'll automatically wake up if we hear Matthew, but I don't believe that will be an issue."

"This doesn't make any sense. What's going on? And where are we supposed to be heading?" She pressed.

"Get dressed and I'll show you," I said, quickly tugging on a pair of discarded cargoes and a black muscle shirt, along with socks and my Bates boots.

I can tell she wants to ask a lot more questions, but curiosity usually overrides everything else. Needing to see what I'm talking about got her moving to the closet.

"Pick something you won't mind getting dirty," I advised.

Another pause. But she continued on into our walk-in closet. She added underwear under her/used to be mine Rangeman t-shirt and pulled on a pair of jeans. She sleepily stuffed her bare feet into her favorite 'Chucks' and then turned to face me.

"This is about as good as it's going to get at this hour," she told me. "What time is it anyway?"

"It's just about four-thirty. And you're perfect whichever way you look, Babe."

"I suppose that could be true if tangled hair and bloodshot eyes are turn-ons."

"If it's _your_ crazy hair or sleep-deprived eyes, then they're major turn-ons to me."

She smiled and I took a moment to kiss her before I completely freak her out. I led her to the nursery so she'll know that Matty is also asleep and in no way in trouble. He's lying flat on his back with his little arms and legs stuck out, which made him look similar to a star in his striped yellow pajamas with a picture of a dump truck on his chest. In the soft glow of the nightlight, we could make out the small smile that caused his lips to twitch as he enjoyed his dream.

"Now I feel better," she said. "I had to make sure he's okay first. Of course, I'd probably feel even better if me and my body were at one in our bed."

"This will make up for it. I promise. Close your eyes and hold on tightly to me," I ordered her.

"Why ...?" She began to say, but it was too late.

We were already gone from our apartment and are now standing in the yard behind my parents' house.

Her eyes and mouth were both open wide when she looked at me. She couldn't come up with a logical explanation for how we went from Trenton to Newark in less time than it takes to inhale.

"Don't ask anything, Steph, just wait for it," I told her, and started the countdown only I'm aware of. "Five ... four ... three ... two ... _**one**_ _._ "

" _Mommy! Daddy!_ " Olivia shouted, just before she broke out into a full run on legs that look too small to hold her upright.

They had just exited the house where their grandparents have no idea they currently have visitors.

" _Mama! Daddy!_ " Matthew added, proving what an excellent big brother he is by sticking close to Olive even though he's just as excited to see us as she is.

Stephanie suddenly looked like a startled deer, hearing _two_ kids calling her name at one time, but as memories, scenes, and dreams, came together in her mind, she dropped to her knees and held her arms open to both of them, pulling them close to her and alternately kissing their faces until they dissolved into a small pile of excited laughter.

I was also fighting a grin. On nights I've been able to sleep soundly, I've heard these two together. Matthew has been taking his role of Protective Older Brother seriously, and had been referring to Steph and I as _Mom_ and _Dad_ when he spoke to Olivia, but now that we're here ... he was allowed to be just a happy baby again, and we went right back to being _Mama_ and _Daddy_.

If I hadn't been paying attention, I would've been bowled over by a tiny little bundle wearing a dark blue dress with pink polka dots. That isn't good. I cut my eyes to Stephanie as I knelt down to our children's height. As expected, Steph was scanning our daughter's outfit.

"I still don't understand how I know this, but isn't _that_ the dress I was going to give you at Christmas?" She asked Olivia.

"Ummm ..."

"Don't lie, Olive," Matty admonished her. "You know you go sticking that little turned-up nose of yours into _everything_ , and Mama can tell whenever someone's lying to her. You should just admit that you stole your own present."

"I wasn't gonna lie," she said.

"Were, too."

" _Were_. _Not_."

"Oh, God. Not only is my head filled with stuff I don't fully get, now I'm also having flashbacks of Val and I as kids," Steph told me.

"Did you expect something different with us as their parents?" I asked.

"No. In fact, I think we got off easy having these two. It's hard to imagine being responsible for more than one kid. This whole thing is really weird. It's like I know _everything_ and _nothing_ all at the same time."

"How does this feel to you right now?"

"Like I have a _family_ /family. I didn't think I was a kid person, but I desperately love these two."

Einstein had been patiently waiting for his own acknowledgment and chose that moment to bark. Steph jumped, but then scratched his head in apology for momentarily ignoring her 'fur baby'. He quickly forgave the oversight with a few face licks when she put her forehead against his for a beat.

"And I love our dog, too," she said. "How can we all be here together like this? And how are our babies talking? I knew you'd likely pass on some kind of superpower to them, is this part of one?"

"Don't waste time analyzing this, Steph, just enjoy it."

"I can't believe it, but I am," she said, using each of her arms to pick up a baby.

"Why do you got a picture on your wrist?" Olive asked her mother, looking down at the arm holding her.

Steph also glanced at her double M tattoo. "It's a long story, but the short version is ... I never want to forget who I'd like to be and who I belong to."

"All that's in two letters?" Our daughter asked.

"Yup, it definitely is."

"Can _I_ get one someday?"

"Ahhh ... why don't we wait until you're a little older to discuss it."

"That means she might try to talk you out of getting something dumb, but she'll eventually say okay if it's really important to you," Matty told his sister.

I slid my hand over my son's hair. "You've got a good head on your shoulders already."

He tilted his head way back in order to look up at me and he flashed a set of dimples. "I know," he told me.

Einstein stood back up without taking his eyes off anyone, and he and I followed Steph and the kids. We all sat beneath the Live Oak tree I, along with my siblings, had climbed countless times growing up. We don't have to be concerned about our kids here. The solid fence painstakingly maintained by my father, and the line of coral-flowered azalea bushes being kept alive by my mother, to this day provides privacy as well as a clear boundary to everyone inside and out of its walls.

I pulled Steph against me when Matty and Olive gave her a few inches of breathing room before they descended on me. I was treated to the same overjoyed welcome. Both kids scrambled to their feet in front of me and took turns holding my face between their small hands so they could kiss me, too. Loving Stephanie has taught me how important touch is when trying to convey what you feel.

Watching as I gave our kids my full attention and affection, Steph's happiness couldn't be measured and our children and I felt it. She didn't have much experience being in a loving family, but we've created something far beyond that with both kids, even if we can't always be together like this.

"Instead of having 'two guns and a knife', looks like you've got 'two kids and a dog'," she said, sounding more content than confused now.

"Thanks to a certain curly-haired beauty, I've learned I can have both sets of three and make it work."

I sensed a slight shift in the energy around us and I could feel myself completely relaxing finally.

"Is there room for us?" Julie asked.

Her arms were curled protectively around her newly born little brother, and a camo-furred puppy came perilously close to tripping her as he raced towards Matty.

" _Pup-Pup!_ " He shouted, with Olivia and Einstein looking on with matching expressions of bewilderment and dread.

Since the canine one can't talk, Olive spoke for both of them. "You got a puppy now? And what kind of name is _Pup-Pup_?"

"A cool one."

"If you say so," she said, not convinced.

"This is what they're like every time they come get me," Julie added, relinquishing her hold on the newest Manoso to Stephanie.

"They are a handful," I agreed. "And you've handled yourself and them exceptionally well."

She stood a little straighter at the compliment and I felt compelled to continue.

"You do know our family isn't complete without you, don't you?" I asked my oldest child, putting an arm around her thin shoulders as she sat cross-legged on a patch of grass beside me.

"Yeah. Matty explained that he and Olive wouldn't have been able to 'visit' me if I wasn't considered their sister."

"Our son's pretty smart," Steph said to me, looking down into the sleepy brown eyes of our second one. "I bet _he'll_ be just as intelligent and charming as all of his siblings. Someone must really enjoy messing with me to give me _four_ \- almost five - kids when I wasn't sure I'd even want one. There seems to be another Manoso/Plum baby girl bun in the oven over in Seattle."

"Morelli hadn't been thrilled to hear that news after he crossed the entire country just to see you. And I don't think 'messing with you' is the goal. Maybe the powers at be believe we both deserve a life surrounded by - and filled with - people who love us unconditionally," I answered.

"I do love my Steph-Mom," Julie told her.

A throat could be heard clearing. "We love Mommy, too," Olivia said. "More than anything in the whole world, except for Daddy. We love him equal to Mommy."

"Glad to hear it," I told her, tucking her under the arm not around Julie.

Matty was trying to explain Pup-Pup to Einstein, but our bomb dog didn't seem impressed by the rambunctious puppy. What the smaller dog lacks in training, he makes up for in enthusiasm, something Steph used to say about herself before she started taking everything in her life - me especially - seriously.

"You probably won't think so, but he's fun," our son was saying to our more mature dog. "Pup-Pup _is_ louder than you are, and he does get into as much trouble as Olivia does ..."

" _Hey!_ " Said the aggrieved child.

Matty's face and tone didn't change, but I recognized the same teasing glint in his blue eyes as Steph often gets in hers.

"Don't stick your lip out in a pout ... you know it's true," he told his sister. "Steiny had to pull you out of the ocean, _remember_?"

" _Ocean?_ " Steph asked clearly distressed, which made our newborn son whimper and move restlessly against her. "Why didn't I know Olive was in trouble?"

"Because she wasn't in any danger," I assured her. "Our daughter was only playing."

She finger-combed Olivia's curls. "But you're just a baby ..."

"I'm _not_ a baby," Olive responded. "I'm an old soul."

Her brother gave her a snort similar to one his mother might produce. " _Sure_ you are."

"You _are_ a baby," Steph said. "And you're also _my_ baby ..."

"She says that a lot," Matty told Olivia. "She loves both of us and is proud of us."

"I do, I am, and I don't want anything happening to any of you."

"That's why Daddy sent Steiny to play with us," Matthew said. "Didn't you, Daddy? I even told Olive that when we first saw him."

"I may have had something to do with it."

"Your daddy's pretty cool, isn't he?" Steph asked our kids.

The resounding agreement was loud, but very much appreciated. Unfortunately, the baby isn't used to abrupt noises at that volume and he started to cry. Like she's been doing it forever, Steph lifted him to her shoulder, whispered soothing sounds close to his ear, and slid her hand up and down his tiny back until he calmed down.

"Matty," she said, "let our dogs get to know each other their way and come sit with us for a minute, okay?"

He left Einstein to fend for himself and laid down on his stomach by Steph's side with his disarmingly-young face cupped in his hands. 'Steiny' wasn't in the mood to puppysit after the first time Pup-Pup pulled on his ear in an attempt to get the older, more refined, dog to play with him. When our puppy once again gripped the edge of his ear, he shook the smaller dog off. With barely a glance back at him, he came to sit parallel to Matty's body, ready to protect my family if a situation arose.

That, unfortunately, gave our new puppy two backs to climb up on. Matty was amused by Pup-Pup's actions ... Einstein's expression, however, said he'd prefer having only _human_ babies to deal with.

"You, Julie, and Olive didn't get to officially meet your little brother, did you?" She asked them, shifting our now calm youngest child so everyone could see him.

He was born with less hair than his brother and sisters, but he has enough for it to be standing up on end. His eyes, hair, and eyelashes, are all matching shades of almost black. I can already tell that he has the same nose Steph mistakenly believes is her best feature.

"No," Olivia said. "We thought we were it."

Matty stopped just short of an eyeroll. "I've been such an ideal little boy, they clearly wanted another one."

" _I'm_ ideal, too," Olive added, not wanting to be bested by her brother. "Whatever _that_ means."

Steph caught my eye above Olivia's head. "We're like a zoo exhibit. You know ... for twenty dollars, you can come observe how the Manosos coexist almost peacefully in the wild."

"You're funny, Mommy," Olive told her.

"And you're perfect ... just like your brothers and older sister," she quickly finished, before Olive's smug smile could turn into serious smack talk.

"Way to be PC, Steph," Julie said, judiciously wading into the fray.

"It's the truth and it also prevented any bickering, so I'm good."

"Getting back to the little guy here, what's his name?" Julie asked. "I was sort of 'instructed' to pick him up before coming here, but I didn't get any details on another little brother."

"His name is James Donovan Manoso. We named him after two of your dad's friends who kept him safe somewhere far from here so he could come back mostly okay and meet me and make most of you."

Julie was watching me, reading far more into Steph's cleaned-up version of that day than I ever wanted anyone to. Telling Stephanie about almost dying only to wake up after surgery to find out that two of the men I'd sworn to bring back safely ... couldn't be, was bad enough. I don't want my daughter trying to put a visual to what I barely survived, too.

I will never forget how Deven James and Philip Donovan had defied my orders to get the fuck out of the area while I still had enough strength to cover them so they and the rest of my team could haul ass and save themselves. While my men split up to find a less 'hostile' location to radio for help, the two of them stayed glued to my sides to protect my bleeding body and semi-conscious mind until I could get a helicopter ride out of hell.

They both died seconds apart in an explosion twenty minutes after I was airlifted out. Had they left when I ordered them to, they'd likely be retired and starting their own families now. Keeping their names and honor alive in the life Steph and I made together was the only tribute that seemed fitting to repay them for what they gave me. And with tears streaming continually down her face, Steph had agreed without question.

It took more effort than I would have liked, but I offered Julie a reassuring smile and tuned into the conversation my wife and children were having.

"I'm gonna call him J.D. ... just like our RangeUncles call me," Matty said. "Is that okay?"

"I think he'll like that," she told him. "Nicknames have become mandatory in our family."

"When did he get born?" Olive asked.

"Not long ago. I guess you could say I gave birth to him during what should've been a tragic time in my life," Steph told her.

" _Huh?_ " She and Julie asked simultaneously.

"It's not important. The only thing that is ... is that I have all of you now."

"That's putting things into perspective, Babe."

"I mean it. We've created something out of what some are still calling nothing, and I'm glad we built on it even if it means we have twenty kids."

Matthew's forehead wrinkled as he counted all the people in front of him. "Mama, there's only _four_ of us kids."

"You're exactly right, Matthew," I told him, reaching across Olive, Steph, and the baby, to pick him up and suspend him upside-down above me until he began to laugh.

"Me, too _. Me, too!_ I wanna play," Olive said.

I put Matty down in Julie's lap and let Olivia experience the joys of a 'man-made' jungle gym.

"If you guys keep that up, you're going to wake the grandparents," Steph cautioned us. "Can they see or hear us?"

"No," I told her. "They're asleep but not reachable in the same way we are."

"Which is probably good, since there's no telling which set of Manoso grandparents will come out of the house. The more Manosos the merrier, though, in my opinion. So what's different about the two of us that makes it okay for us to be here? I'm guessing being their parents helps."

"Do you really want to know?"

"No, I guess not."

She cuddled James close as Olive burrowed her little body back between us. "I'll never be able to thank you enough," Steph said to me.

"What for?" I asked.

Matty isn't so different from our puppy with wanting to remain active. He stood behind me, circled my neck with his arms, and hung off me like a flesh and blood decoration, wanting to play as much as Pup-Pup. A year ago, only Stephanie would've survived that kind of from-behind contact with me.

Olive was staring in fascination at her new baby brother as he yawned and stretched out all four limbs so far, one of the baby booties my Grandma Rosa had crocheted for him almost fell off his tiny foot.

"For giving me something I never would've thought to ask for," Steph said, finally answering my question. "I couldn't have pictured _this_ , but I'm happy to be living smack in the middle of it."

"Loving you has been my pleasure, Steph. And _this_ wouldn't have been possible without you."

"You're gonna kiss Mama, aren't you?" Matty asked me, trying to climb my shoulder so he could speak directly to me.

"It's a strong possibility," I told him.

He landed back on his feet and covered his eyes with his little hands, which prompted Olive to do the same, but she didn't keep them shielded for long.

"You two are such _babies_ ," Julie said, actually smiling as I pressed my lips to Steph's.

"Are you done yet?" Matty asked, peeking through his chubby fingers at us.

"No," Steph said, reaching out to bring him close to her, the baby, and Olive, "but we won't scar you any further by kissing each other like we want to."

"I like that you and Daddy love each other ..."

"You just don't want to see it?" I asked him.

"I think it's _sooooo_ romantic," Olivia told us.

Matty gave her exasperated sigh. " _You_ would."

"I think it's nice, too," Julie added. "I'm glad you're happy, Dad."

"I am," I told her. "And you're one of the major reasons why."

Her smile could only be called a content one.

" _We_ make you happy, too ... don't we, Daddy?" Olive asked.

"All of you have given me far more than I've given you," I admitted.

"Matty said Mommy can tell when someone's lying," Olivia tried to warn me.

" _You_ don't lie," Julie told me, "so I think you actually believe that."

"He does," Steph said, "but I think your dad's starting to get that _he_ 's what holds this family together ... and that there's no way we can live without him."

"I hope you do know that," my oldest said. "I love my parents, but I also love and need both of you."

"If I had an arm free," Steph told her, "I'd hug the crap out of you."

Julie got up and stepped around me. She navigated her way through Pup-Pup's path as he ran in circles around the yard, still trying to get someone to stand up, and she sat near Einstein's head close to Steph. She picked up Olivia, who'd had both arms around her mother, and she put her sister in her own lap instead.

"There ... now you have at least one arm free, so hug away," she told my wife ... her second mother in my mind.

She moved James to the opposite side so he wouldn't get smothered, and then she hugged my daughter hard.

"You're up," Steph told me when she finally let her go.

I stood up holding Matthew and he, Olive, and I, proceeded to give Julie a collective and potentially oxygen-denying hug. Our multiple worlds have all crashed together in perfect harmony.

 **A/N: To make this a 'complete' Manoso family meeting, I felt I had to also include Pup-Pup from 'Baby Steps', the baby boy who was just born in 'Helen's Hell', and also mention the baby still in the making from 'Worlds Collide'.**


End file.
